Tarzan & Ariel
by WritingRin
Summary: What if Ariel didn't live in the ocean next to Prince Eric? What if the only human for miles around was Tarzan of the Apes? Tarzan doesn't speak in human language and Ariel gave up her voice. How will they learn to communicate? What will they think of each other? This is based somewhat on both novels and both movies.
1. Ariel: 16 Years

The little mermaid knew the surface world was dangerous. Oh, the seas had dangers of their own, but the surface had humans. Human pirates killed her mother, a woman Ariel barely remembered. But she still longed to see the place. A whole 'nother world! It must be so magical and different! She HAD to see it someday.

At first that's all she wanted, just to see it. Each year from age 10 she listened to her sisters' tales about what they'd seen, looking forward to her own 15th birthday so she could go up and look around too. But when the day came she was disappointed. It wasn't ENOUGH. She saw a "beach" and "trees" and "mountains" first. She swam closer, as far around the "coast" as she could. Finally she saw a house made from the "trees" on the "beach." She waited all day but she never saw a single human. She saw weird creatures though, in all different places. There were things that swam through the air! She'd heard of birds but these weren't the "seagulls" her sisters described! Finally, she saw an enormous "ape" in the trees. That was the most amazing creature to catch her eye! But she didn't have long to watch it either. Her anxiety and longing mounted all day, with little bouts of excitement along the way.

Finally, she watched a "sunset" and went home without even knowing about the stars or she would've stayed. But by then she was overwhelmed and tired and excited at the same time. And she'd already stayed longer than any of her sisters had. When she got home she excitedly told everyone her story and they indulged her. But she ended up leaving in tears, knowing she'd never see it again or anything more.

But she didn't like to resign herself to things. She didn't immediately return to the surface because she was watched and because she was a princess and definitely had to obey the king's laws. But soon Flounder, her best friend, gave her an object to console her. It was a pretty handheld "mirror" from the world above.

"Where did you get this?" she breathed, amazed.

"F-from a shipwreck," he admitted reluctantly.

That began the next phase of her life, visiting shipwrecks and collecting objects. She knew she couldn't keep them in her room so she revisted a cave where she'd played as a child. There was a hole at the top that she could barely fit through now. But she discovered she could move the rock at the entrance now. It became her favorite get away. By the time she was 16 the entire cave was filled with knicknacks. Even some kind of "painting!" And she discovered writing carved into some of the "metal" objects. She learned a lot of names for things by asking questions of other merpeople. After all, it wasn't illegal to go up before she was born. She loved that collection. Some days going through it was the only way she got through the day.

But she'd picked a HIDEaway for a reason. If only she'd remembered to go to that party! Then her father wouldn't have come looking for her. And she hadn't wanted to miss it, she was supposed to debut as a singer! But she had to drop off the "hairbrush" she'd just found. And that's where her father her. Instead of singing with her sisters, she was singing to Flounder about The World Above. That's probably what set him off, honestly.

He destroyed EVERYTHING.

They weren't just things. They were dreams. They were part of her. So, he'd destroyed part of her.

She couldn't live it. So she broke the rules. She wam straight to the surface, settled on some rocks, and stared longingly around. She began singing again, pouring out her heart in a way that would've made anyone cry. She didn't know she was being watched. Something saw her from the trees behind the house on the beach. And simultaneously two eels reported her emotional state to their master.

"What a lovely voice," commented the sea-witch covetously. "Poor little mermaid... let's see what we can do for you, shall we? Bring 'er boys." Her voice became harsher for the order and then a little more lilting, "Politely of course."

By the time Ariel finished singing, the sky was growing dark. A storm was brewing in the distance. Ariel didn't know to be scared but she began to feel uneasy. Just then the eels swam around Ariel and slapped tails to applaud her. One of them even wiped a tear from its eye with a tail. Ariel looked at the weather and then returned to the water. The eels following. She wanted them to go away, but they weren't threatening her. They had a proposition. Part of her knew she shouldn't listen to them, but then she remembered her own father wrecking her collection for no good reason and the fact that she'd broken the law and had no where to go. Something in her hardened.

"Take me to her!" 


	2. Tarzan: Fish Apes

Terk almost feel out of the tree when she saw the other hairless ape. It was female! Long red hair blowing in the wind. And she was singing, like a bird! Terk listened for a while. After a few moments two creatures she'd DEFINITELY never seen before popped up. Snakes? No... whatever. Suddenly she remembered that her friend would want to see this. She took off into the forest, anxiously calling, "Tarzan! TARZAN COME!"

Finally he swung down in front of her. "What is it, Terk?" he grunted, picking at one ear. He plucked a bug from her fur and ate it. He looked at the sky. "Storm's coming." "G-Girl!" Terk exclaimed, pointing back to the beach.

"Huh?"

"Another hairless ape! Like you, a female!"

Tarzan grew very still, trying to keep his heart from leaping. But he rushed toward the beach.

Terk passed him and was just in time to see the girl diving into the water. She distinctly saw a tail.

Tarzan searched the beach and then the water. The waves were growing choppy.

"Where, Terk? Where is she?!"

Terk was sitting there, stunned. She shook herself.

"She had a tail!" she pointed. "She went into the water! She's gone Tarzan... you missed it." She dropped a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry," she finished quietly.

Tarzan's shoulders hunched. He looked at the sea. There were sea apes? like him? Is that another way he was decifient; patchy haired AND tail-less? Suddenly it began to rain, but off in the distance. He shrugged Terk's hand off and cuffed her head lightly, in an affectionate sibling way.

"Let's go." 


	3. Ariel: The Bargain

Ariel swam eagerly after the eels. She knew the way vaguely, but she was glad for their guidance. Although every fish that saw them swam away. There were less and less fish as they approached the sea witch's lair though. Should that have worried her more? She still felt... hardened.

But someone found her before she went in. Flounder. He'd probably been looking for her ever since she left the cave. There were probably LOTS of people looking for her. Maybe someone had seen her from a far and reported her to him. She hoped they hadn't told her father!

"Ariel! Where are you going?! You can't go in there!" Flounder headbutted her stomach and swam furiously, trying to push her away. It tickled a bit. She put her arms around him.

"I have to. It's the only way, let me go, buddy."

The eels waited, sharing a look. Then they came back and circled them impatiently.

Flounder eyed them nervously.

"Ariel, let's just go," he whispered.

"Flounder, you're my best friend and I love you. But I might have a chance to go to the world above and stay there!" She hugged him and then thrust him away.

"Tell my father in case something goes wrong. Go. Hurry!"

Flounder hesitated and then zoomed away.

Ariel spun to the eels. "Better make this quick."

"This way princess..."

* * *

"Ariel!" exclaimed the sea witch, as if it were a delightful surprise. "Darling, how have you been?"

Ariel forced a smile. "Well, Aunt."

Ursula smiled. "Good, very good. What can I do for my cute little niece?" Her eyes sparkled.

"I..." she gulped, "want to become human."

"Oh is that all?" Ursula swam over to a wall of her cave and examined herself in the mirror.

Ariel's eyes widened. "That's human made!"

She met the girl's eyes in the reflection and smirked. She picked up a shrimp and squished it, producing a red fluid which she spread on her luscious lips. "Naturally."

Ariel's heart lifted. She swam closer and reached out. "You said it's easy? What do I have to do?"

This time Ursula smiled only to herself. "All it takes is a trade."

"But... I don't have anything..."

Ursula swam up and touched her cheek. Ariel held still, looking up at her with wide eyes. Ursula's fingers slid down and touched her throat. Her eyes were falsely kind. "You have your voice."

Ariel's fingers replaced hers. The thought of never being able to sing again! Her eyes darted to the entrace. The price was too high. "I-I don't know..."

Ursula swam up to her perch, tentacles spilling out and sighed.

"What else are you going to do? You can't go back can you? And this is a one time offer."

Ariel swallowed and then straightened her back. She nodded.

"Are you sure?"

Ariel nodded again. "Yes, I don't need a voice to see the world, just legs."

Ursula oozed out, decidedly happier. She flipped open a magic scroll. A pen appeared in the air.

"Sign here, dearie." Ariel took the pen. "But how will I get from here to the surface?"

Ursula waved a hand in the air. "Flotsam, jetsom. When she changes get her safely to shore." She raised an eyebrow at Ariel. "Any last words to your family?"

Ariel looked down. "Tell them... Goodbye." She signed the paper.

Ursula quickly rolled it up and made it dissappear. She took off her seashell necklace and held it out. "Now, sing..." she directed.

Ariel hesitated. "What do you get out of this? Why do you want my voice?"

Her aunt made a frustrated noise. "Don't worry about it, girl. I'm a busy woman. Are we going to do this or not?"

Ariel glanced at the exit. "Shouldn't I go to the surface first?"

"Flotsam, Jetsam, grab her wrists and get ready to haul her up there." The eels complied. They felt a little slimy and it made Ariel's skin crawl. And what if they suddenly electrocuted her? She shivered. But apparently she was going to need them.

It all came down to her resolve. Did she want to be human or not?

The little mermaid opened her mouth and sang.


End file.
